Archive for the ‘Woody Gilmore’ tag

Is it possible for a 327-cu.in. Chevrolet small-block to beat a blown 354 Chrysler Hemi to a finish line? Only if the former is towing the latter, which is exactly what’s going to happen when this seemingly odd couple makes an appearance on Mecum’s auction block in St. Charles, Illinois, later this month.

The Chevrolet is a 1968 Caprice Estate wagon that – according to the auction write-up – was delivered from California in 2008 and was given new paint and woodgrain siding, while the engine was redetailed. It was also at this point when the Torque Thrust wheels were installed for the not-so-sleeper appearance. Aside from the 290hp 327, the Chevy touts power steering, brakes and windows, tilt wheel and air conditioning.

Meanwhile, the AA/TF front-engine dragster (sold with the custom trailer) is a piece of United Drag Racers Association quarter-mile history. Containing the aformentioned blown 354-cu.in. Hemi with 392 cylinder heads, the 115-inch wheelbase chassis was originally constructed by Woody Gilmore for Ken Peterson. Prior to the start of the 1968 season, Ken, in turn, hired Ron Colson to not only mash the accelerator, but also wrench on the Top Fuel creation.

Ron, born in September 1940 and a native of Oregon, Illinois, ran his first professional race at Cordova Dragway in 1958 behind the wheel of his sister’s 1957 MGA; he won the class (earning a jacket). A series of vehicles soon followed as Ron climbed through the Gasser ranks, eventually landing rides in the Top Gas category by 1966 until he transitioned into Top Fuel with Peterson. During the ’68 season, the Hemi-powered team posted consistent six-second elapsed times with speeds ranging from 210 to 220 MPH with this dragster. The pairing continued into ’69 when they captured the UDRA National Championship in the AA/TF ranks. Although Ron started the season in a Dick Huffer fueler, by the season’s mid-point he was back behind the wheel of this car carrying Dick Clark’s American Bandstand livery. Ron would eventually go on to pilot the Chi-Town Hustler, and later the Hawaiian funny cars. His last race came in 1980 at the Winston World Finals where he claimed the victory in the Funny Car finals; he also finished the season third in points. Although the post-1970 season history of Ron’s Top Fuel racer was not available as of this writing, it has been restored to its 1969 color scheme.

Mecum’s St. Charles auction will take place October 25-27 at the Pheasant Run Resort. For more information, visit Mecum.com.

UPDATE (30.October 2012): The duo bid up to $45,000, but did not sell.

So while on a shop visit recently, the owner of the shop went digging around in the backroom for something to show me. Naturally, I followed, and found something much cooler than what he ended up showing me: a short-wheelbase front-engine dragster that dates back to 1961.

The good: It’s a FED! And it’s all there. The bad: The shop owner, who owns the FED, said he doesn’t know much about its history. He knows that Woody Gilmore built it and he’s been told that it once ran a Hemi instead of the small-block Chevrolet V-8 in it now. Then again, just about any FED that ran in the 1960s used a Hemi at some point.

Just imagine slinging your nads over that.

The latest chassis certification sticker from NHRA is stamped May 2002, and the owner said the chassis is currently out of certification. He believes a couple simple cross tubes on the roll bar would be enough to certify it again.

The owner did media blast all the original body panels, which show signs of repair over the years.

And dig those upswept headers! Look to me like they came straight off a boat, but they work here. That FEDA sticker on the scoop comes from the Front Engine Dragsters of America club.

Oh, and there is another good part to this dragster: The owner’s grown tired of it and wants to sell it. Anybody interested, get in line right behind me and hope that Vermont won’t allow me to run this thing on the street…